Dr. Bryce Fifield is the director of the Center for Persons with Disabilities.
I get the chance to talk with lots of different people as part of my job. I’m always interested when somebody I’m talking with expresses frustration about how different disability service programs are not meeting their needs or how the government just doesn’t get it. They often say something like, “It’s just so political” to explain their frustration.
Well, it is political. But that should not be an excuse for not understanding how things work. A good deal of politics is about describing a position on a topic and then defending it. It’s something that many people in the disability community are not really very good at. Consequently, we are left to opinion shapers elsewhere in the community to describe our situation for us.
We all need to get involved in creating public opinion. That’s one of the reasons we have re-designed the CPD web site. For example, the CPD blog is one place where you can express your opinions and engage in discussion. Please feel free to comment on the blog entries. If you have an idea for a blog entry, please drop editor JoLynne Lyon an email.
There are other places on our web site where you can participate. For example, you can register your opinion on our survey questions. You can make suggestions for feature articles, you can post events on our calendar, and you can volunteer to make a difference with the CPD’s programs.
You can make a difference. Each voice is important, but only those voices that are heard can influence others. Exercise your voice and get involved. Your opinion and contribution are key to helping us create the community where we all want to live.